Day 11 of protest by miners and energy workers, Trakia motorway and Pass of the Republic remain blocked

The protest of miners and energy workers from Maritsa East coal mining complex continues for the eleventh consecutive day on October 9.

The roadblocks on Trakia motorway in the region of Stara Zagora, the Pass of the Republic and the road section in the region of Gurkovo remain in place.

Since yesterday the protesters have been preparing for effective strike. This decision was taken at an improvised meeting on the Trakia motorway near Stara Zagora.

Their main demand remains that the territorial just transition plan be withdrawn from the European institutions and revised.

For an effective strike to begin, more than 3,400 signatures need to be collected from the miners and more than 50% of the workers at the power plants, after which the date will be announced.

Until then, the roadblocks remain in place. A national protest is being prepared for Thursday.

"We're moving to a petition - it has to get over 50% of the people and then we'll proceed with these actions. We have the right to strike," explained Yancho Petrov, CITUB trade union, Troyanovo pit.

"I think they will support us. This is not the first time the mines have gone on effective strikes, it's just the first time we are going out on the motorway, but whether we are in Sofia or on the motorway, we have always defended our demands," said Velina Stoyanova, who has worked at Maritsa East mines for 30 years.

The unions estimate that the collection of signatures will take about two days.